Adventurer Ben Fogle caught dangerous bug on travels

The adventurer and television presenter Ben Fogle has contracted a serious parasitic infection in the South American jungle.

Intrepid explorer Ben Fogle has caught a rare parasitic infection caused by the bite of a sandflyPhoto: Chris McLennan

By Sarah Brealey

5:44PM GMT 29 Oct 2008

Mr Fogle, 35, is known for his work as a BBC presenter, with stints on Countryfile, One Man and His Dog, Wild in Africa, Holiday and Cash in the Attic. But now he has discovered he has Leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection caused by the bite of a sandfly.

He realised he was unwell after returning from filming a new series of Extreme Dreams for BBC2 in the jungles of Peru. He returned in September and spent three weeks in bed. He thought that he had malaria, but after an open sore an inch wide appeared on his right arm, experts at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London realised that he had a different, potentially life-threatening infection. If the parasites spread to the vital organs it can kill.

There are approximately two million new cases worldwide each year, and 70,000 deaths. Just two cases are seen in Britain each year on average, usually as a result of travel to the Mediterranean. The treatment is with a form of antimony called sodium stibogluconate, which has to be injected slowly into the veins. It can damage the veins and can also cause side-effects such as sickness and diarrhoea, headaches, tiredness, joint or muscle pains and dizziness.

Mr Fogle, who also writes for the Sunday Telegraph, spent eight weeks filming in different locations in Peru, including untouched rainforest. He was the only member of the crew not to suffer any illness while there.

His agent, Alison Griffin, told the Telegraph: "He has only just learned that he has this condition. We are waiting to hear what the next step is. He is waiting for confirmation that this is what he has, and then the treatment will start, probably next week. He won't really be on the mend until he has had the treatment.

Related Articles

"It needs to start urgently, otherwise it is very serious. He will have to have an intravenous treatment lasting an hour each day, for about a month."

Mr Fogle, who lives in London with his wife Marina, 30, is due travel to the Antarctic on December 14 to take part in a race to the South Pole alongside team mate James Cracknell. They will have to pull sledges carrying their provisions and equipment across the frozen landscape to beat teams from across the world to the South Pole. He is said to be determined that his illness will not stop him taking part.

Mr Fogle came to public attention in the original series of Castaway in 2000 where 36 people from across the country spent a year living on the Scottish island of Taransay, building their own shelters and fending for themselves in a community.